Veteran actor Alan Rothwell, best known for playing David Barlow in the original cast of ITV soap Coronation Street, has died aged 89 after a short illness.
Born in Oldham, he starred in the programme from its inception in 1960 until 1969, and later appeared in TV series such as Gideon’s Way, The Villains and Brookside.
Rothwell’s family confirmed the actor “died peacefully in hospital” earlier.
“Beyond his professional achievements, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle,” the actor’s family said in a tribute. “He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed.”
Rothwell also starred in the Channel 4 soap Brookside as Nicholas Black in the 1980s and became a familiar face to generations of viewers as the presenter of the long-running children’s television programmes Picture Box and Hickory House.
Rothwell’s role in Coronation Street had been written with him in mind – as the creator Tony Warren had worked with him during their childhoods on BBC Radio’s Children’s Hour.
He was a cast member of the soap for nine years – playing the brother of Ken Barlow, played by William Roache.
Roache paid tribute to the actor, saying: “I am very sorry to hear of Alan’s passing.
“He and I worked together on the very first episodes of Coronation Street, which was such a wonderful time, I got to know him well over the years, he was a very good actor and a delightful man.
“I send my thoughts and condolences to his family.”
More recently Rothwell made appearances in Doctors, pictured here in 2016 [BBC]
A spokesperson for Coronation Street said: “We’re very sorry to hear of Alan Rothwell’s passing and extend our sincerest condolences to his family at this very sad time.”
He created a “memorable character in David Barlow and will forever be remembered as one of the original cast members”, they added.
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